PC shipments in the Asia-Pacific region this year will grow 20.3 percent over 2009 to reach 114.6 million units, according to new predictions from Gartner.

PC expenditure in the region is also projected to grow at 12.4 percent in 2010, up from 2.9 percent last year, said the research analyst Tuesday in a media statement.

The region's PC market, it added, will enjoy a five-year compound annual growth rate of 15.7 percent between 2009 and 2014. Leading the growth are emerging markets, particularly China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

China, which accounted for 59 percent of Asia-Pacific PC shipments in 2009, will again account for the lion's share of units shipped to the region in 2010, said Gartner. In 2010, the research firm expects the Chinese market to represent 60 percent of the region's total shipments, as well as 19 percent of global units shipped.

Lillian Tay, principal research analyst at Gartner, noted that while overall Asia-Pacific PC growth in 2009 was strong, there were exceptions such as India and more mature markets with high PC penetration. However, these markets which did not perform as well last year are likely to see an uptrend this year, she said in the statement.

"The improving worldwide economy should lead to better confidence to invest in 2010, especially in Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore," said Tay. "Similarly in India, PC buyers are now more confident to spend, with employment on the upswing."

According to Tay, growth in mature PC markets such as Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan will be driven by enterprise PC refresh exercises which were largely held off in the last 18 months.

The anticipation of increase in IT budgets and organization migration to the Windows 7 operating system will spur PC growth in 2010 and 2011, she said.

Portables continue to shine
Due to their increasing popularity with first-time buyers, mobile PCs will continue to lead PC growth in the Asia-Pacific region this year, said Gartner. In 2010, shipments of portable PCs will jump 35.2 percent to reach 53.2 million units.

The momentum will see mobile PCs register a 51 percent share of overall PCs shipped to the Asia-Pacific region by 2011, edging desktop shipments for the first time, the research firm added.

Meanwhile, desktop shipments in the region will increase 9.9 percent to 61.4 million units in 2010.

The growth, noted Gartner, will be largely driven by the success of a rural PC program in China, where 70 percent to 80 percent of PCs shipped are desk-based PCs and, in other markets, the replacement of aged desktops.

Gartner's Asia-Pacific forecast is in line with its global estimates, which point to a 19.7 percent year-on-year growth in worldwide PC shipments for 2010. Global PC spending this year is also expected to grow 12.2 percent over 2009 to reach US$245 billion.